Fontech launches WiFi SON Solution

Today, Fontech, the technology arm of Fon and leader in WiFi software solutions, has announced the launch of WiFi SON (Self-organizing Networks).

Its latest solution empowers operators to leverage their community WiFi deployments like never before, increasing offloading and delivering consistently positive Quality of Experience (QoE) to customers. In the context of unlimited 4G data plans and increasing data demand, this solution is essential for operators looking to WiFi to meet connectivity needs cost-effectively.

Leading global operators such as Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and Telstra already use Fontech Community WiFi Solution to offer improved coverage and drive cost savings through offloading and supporting WiFi-first strategies. Now with WiFi SON, Fontech takes Community WiFi to the next level, delivering tools that empower operators to fully control their WiFi network performance, as well as ensure consistent, carrier-grade connectivity over WiFi instead of best-effort connections.

The result will be WiFi deployments that facilitate increased offloading while allowing mobile users to always enjoy the best possible connection over WiFi by seamlessly steering them to the best performing access point (AP) and frequency band while on the move.

Fontech’s WiFi SON Solution promises to deliver next-generation WiFi today by giving operators full visibility of their WiFi networks and the ability to transform basic APs into managed WiFi hotspots with self-organizing capabilities without the need for heavy investment in WiFi infrastructure.

With WiFi SON, operators can manage every WiFi AP, gain detailed real-time data on WiFi network performance, and optimize WiFi radio resources by intelligent SON functionalities.

Alex Puregger, CEO, Fon said, “What we have built over the last few years, and complemented by our recent acquisition of XCellAir, is an amazing technology that gives operators the chance to understand and manage WiFi. With Fontech WiFi SON, WiFi networks become very similar to mobile networks, from both a management and user experience perspective. Fontech WiFi SON makes WiFi 5G ready.”

At the heart of the solution is the WiFi SON cloud server, which automatically analyzes and manages radio resources from the network level down to individual hotspots from an intuitive, web-based dashboard. It features real-time monitoring and mapping, as well as mitigation of congestion, noise, and interference. This information is delivered from deployed CPEs to the cloud server via the WiFi SON thin agent which collects metrics from each CPE and forwards them on consuming minimal resources.

The WiFi SON cloud server also features a self-configuration and self-healing system for the immediate recognition and registering of new hotspots by the network, as well as adjustment to reduce the impact of hotspots that become inoperative.